670 



.U5 H9 
1864 
Copy 1 



THE 



HUMANE SOCIETY 



(Etommomttattlt of llla^acteette. 



BOSTON: 

1864 

J. H. EAST BURN'S PRESS. 



THE 



HUMANE SOCIETY 



(EtomwomwaJtft ti §f^nttedi& 






BOSTON: 

1864. 

J . H . EASTBURX'S PRESS. 






At the Animal Meeting of the Humane Society or the Commonwealth 
of Massachusetts, held on the 12th May, 1863, it was 

Voted, That there be printed under the direction of the Standing Com- 
mittee of the Trustees, the Rules and By-Laws, with the Charter of the Society, 
.. > List of Officers chosen for the year ensuing, and a List of the Stations of 
the Society's Boats and Huts. 

Attest: HENRY A. PEIRCK, 

Recording Secretary . 



ACT OF INCORPORATION. 



COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. 

In the year of our Lord one thousand, seven hundred and ninety-one. 

AN ACT to incorporate and establish a Society by the name of The 
Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 

WHEREAS it is the duty of government at all times to counte- 
nance and support its citizens in their exertions for alleviating the 
distresses of their fellow-men ; and whereas divers persons have 
petitioned this Court for an act of incorporation whereby they may 
more effectually carry into execution their benevolent designs : — 

Be it therefore enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That 
the Hon. Thomas Russell, Esq., Jonathan Mason, Esq., John Warren, 
M.D., Rev. Simeon Howard, D.D., Rev. Samuel Parker, D.D., John 
Avery, Jun., Esq., Rev. John Lathrop, D.D., Rev. Peter Thacher, 
Rev. John Clarke, Dr. Thomas Welsh, Aaron Dexter, M.D., and Mr. 
Nathaniel Balch, together with all those who now are, and such others 
who shall become members thereof, be, and they are hereby erected 
into and made a body politic corporate forever, by the name of The 
Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said 
Corporation are hereby declared and made capable in law of having, 
holding, purchasing and taking in fee simple, or any less estate by 
gift, grant, devise, or otherwise, any lands, tenements, or other estate, 
real and personal ; provided that the annual income of the said real 
and personal estate shall not exceed the sum of four thousand pounds, 
and also to sell, alien, devise or dispose of the same estate, real and 
personal, not using the same in trade or commerce. 



And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid. That the said 
Corporation shall have full power and authority to make, have and 
use a common seal, and the same to break, alter and renew at plea- 
sure ; that it shall be capable in law to sue and be sued, plead and be 
impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended in 
all courts of record or other courts or places whatsoever, in all ac- 
tions, real, personal and mixed, and to do and execute all and singular 
other matters and things, that to them shall and may appertain to do. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid. That the said 
Corporation may make, establish, and put in execution such laws and 
regulations as may be necessary to the government of said Corpora- 
tion ; provided the same shall in no case be repugnant to the laws 
and constitution of this state ; and for the well governing of the said 
Corporation, and* the ordering their affairs, they shall have such offi- 
cers as they shall hereafter from time to time elect and appoint ; and 
such officers as shall be designated by the laws and regulations of the 
said Corporation for the purpose, shall be capable of exercising such 
power for the well governing and ordering the affairs of the said 
Corporation, and calling and holding such occasional meetings for 
that purpose, as shall be fixed and determined by the said laws and 
regulations. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the end 
and design of the institution of the said Society, is for the recovery 
of persons who meet with such accidents as produce in them the 
appearance of death, and for promoting the cause of humanity by 
pursuing such means from time to time, as shall have for their object 
the preservation of human life and the alleviation of its miseries. 

And be it farther enacted, That the place where the first meeting 
of the said Society shall be held, shall be in the town of Boston ; and 
that the Hon. Thomas Russell, Esq., be and he hereby is authorized 
and empowered to fix the time for holding the said meeting, and to 
notify the same to the members of the said Society by causing the 
same to be published in one of the Boston newspapers fourteen days 
before the time fixed on for holding {he said meeting. 



In the House of Representatives, Feb. 21, 1791. 
This bill having had three several readings passed to be enacted. 

DAVID COBB, Speaker. 

In Senate, Feb. 23, 1791. 
This bill having had two several readings passed to be enacted. 

SAMUEL PHILLIPS, President. 

By the Governour approved, JOHN HANCOCK. 

True copy. Attest, JOHN AVERY, Jim., Secretary. 



GENERAL STATUTES OF MASSACHUSETTS, 
Chapter 161, Section 88. 

OF OFFENCES AGAINST PROPERTY. 

(Injury or removal, 8?c, to property of Humane Society.) 

Whoever unlawfully enters any house or hut, the property of the 
Humane Society, and wilfully injures, destroys, removes, or carries 
away any food, fuel, oil, candles, furniture, utensils, or other property 
belonging to said Society, or unlawfully or wilfully enters any boat- 
house of said Society, and carries away, removes, or injures, any life- 
boat, car, or any of the ropes, tackle, oars, or any appurtenance 
thereof, or wilfully injures or destroys, or unlawfully uses or commits 
any trespass upon the property of said Society, intended or kept for 
the purpose of saving or preserving human life, or commits any tres- 
pass upon such hut or boat-house, shall be punished by a line not 
exceeding one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the jail not 
exceeding ninety days ; but the penalties of this section shall not 
apply to persons for whose use said boats, houses, and other property 
are intended and kept. Pilots, commissioners of wrecks, sheriffs and 
their deputies, and constables, shall make complaint against all per- 
sons guilty of any offence under this section. 



RULES AND BY-LAWS. 



Article 1. The Officers of the Society shall consist of 
twelve Trustees, of whom one shall be President, two Vice- 
Presidents, one Treasurer, one Recording Secretary, one Cor- 
responding Secretary. There shall also be annually appointed 
from the Board of Trustees a Standing Committee of three, to 
whom shall be committed the general charge and detail of all 
the Huts, Boats, and Life-saving Apparatus of every kind 
belonging to the Society. 

• Art. 2. The Annual Meeting of the Society shall be 
holden on the second Tuesday in May, but the President, at 
the request of three Trustees, shall call special meetings when- 
ever the business of the Society requires it. 

Art. 3. The Trustees shall be elected by ballot at the 
Annual Meeting, and shall hold their offices until others are 
chosen in their stead. They shall be ex-officio members of the 
Society, providing, however, that any Trustee neglecting his 
duties for one year and without sufficient excuse, shall be 
ineligible to a further election as Trustee, and his membership 
in the Society shall thereupon cease. Upon the resignation 
of any Trustee or the declining a re-election his membership in 
the Society shall continue for a period of three years without 
further personal service. 

Art. 4. The Recording Secretary shall keep a fair copy 
of all the votes and proceedings of the Society, and record all 
such communications as the Trustees shall direct. 



8 

Art. 5. The Corresponding Secretary shall perform all 
the correspondence of the Society, reporting the same for 
approval to the Trustees. 

Art. 6. The Trustees, a major part of whom shall consti- 
tute a quorum, shall have the entire care and management of 
the concerns and funds of the Society; and adjudge such 
rewards of merit as they may see fit, agreeably to the rules of 
the Society; and no moneys shall be paid by the Treasurer 
without a vote of the Trustees, or an order of the President, or 
that of the Standing Committee. 

Art. 7. All property belonging to the Society, shall be 
held in its name, and remain in the hands of the Treasurer : 
and in case of the death of the Treasurer, shall be delivered to 
the President, until a new Treasurer is chosen. He shall make 
a full exhibit of his accounts, in detail, annually to the Society, 
and showing the expenditures and investments of the funds of 
the Society. 

Art. 8. Any person in this Commonwealth, or upon the 
coast thereof, who shall, by signal exertion or peril, save 
another from death, may be entitled to receive such reward, 
not exceeding in value Twenty Dollars ; to be paid in such 
manner as the Trustees may order. They may also, if they 
deem the interests of humanity promoted thereby, issue Certifi- 
cates to those persons, who, by great daring and at their per- 
sonal risk, shall have been instrumental in saving life out of 
the Common we alth . 



OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES, 

ELECTED AT TIE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY, 
MAY 12, 1863. 



PRESIDENT : 

Hon. DAVID SEARS 

VICE-PRESIDENTS : 



JOHN HOMANS, M.D., -utl*€i> 
BOBEBT B. FOEBES, Esq. 



TREASURER : 



CHABLES AMOEY, Esq. ^&*£b 

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY : 

Rev. SAMUEL K. LOTHEOF, D.D. 

RECORDING SECRETARY: 

HENEY A. PEIECE, Esq. 

TRUSTEES : 

Hon. SAMUEL HOOFEE, 

Hon. FEANCIS B. CBOWNINSHIELD, ^^ 
J. MASON WABBEN, M.D., teH***-^ 
FEANCIS BACON, Esq., 
Hon. GEOEGE B. UPTON, 
WILLIAM AMOEY, Esq. 



/v 



LIST OF STATIONS. 



DIAMOND STAGE, Ipswich River, one mile and a half from 
the entrance or bar, one boat under the care of Thomas Greenwood. 

IPSWICH LIGHT, near the Long Beach, one small boat and 
carriage, under the care of B. Ellsworth, keeper of the light. 

ANNIS SQUAM, Cape Ann, at the light, under the care of N. 
Parsons, keeper of the light, one boat. 

LANE'S COVE, Cape Ann, under the care of W. Saunders, one 
boat. 

ROCKPORT, Cape Ann, near the centre of the village, one boat, 
under the care of N. B. Parsons. 

ROCKPORT MORTAR STATION, under the care of W. 
Thurston. 

GLOUCESTER HARBOR, near the centre of the town, metallic 
boat, under the care of A. H. Tuck. 

EMERSON'S POINT, near Thatchers Islands Lights, J, W. 
Marshall, one boat. 

MILK ISLAND, near Emerson's Point, a hut of refuge, with 
supplies, W. Stillman. 

MANCHESTER, under the charge of Captain Tyler Parsons, 
one boat. 

MARBLEHEAD, inside the harbor, two boats, under the care of 
J. S. Goodwin. 

SWAMPSCOTT, near Phillips' Beach, one boat and carriage, 
under the care of Zebedee Small. 

NAHANT, on the N. E. side, near the hotel, one boat, handy to 
launch on either side of the peninsula, in charge of Mr. Luscomb. 

DEER ISLAND, Boston, one large and two small boats, in charge 
of the superintendent, G. E. Pay son. 

POINT ALLERTON, inside of the buoy and rocks, on the N. E. 
part of the point, one boat, under the care of J. Cobb. 



12 

HULL BEACH, on the inside of the neck connecting Hull with 
Nantasket, one boat ; also a life car, mortar, hawser, and other means 
of communicating with a wreck, under the care of J. Cobb. 

NANTASKET BEACH, about two miles from Point Allerton 
boat, two new boats also under the care of J. Cobb. 

SIMONS FARM BEACH, North Cohasset, lifeboat in care of 
Thomas Hudson. 

PLEASANT BEACH, situated a mile or so from the entrance 
of Cohasset Harbor, to the westward, one boat, under the care of 
Captain P. C. Kimball 

COHASSET HARBOR, two boats, near Hominy Point, inside 
the Western entrance of the harbor, under the care of Alfred Whit- 
tin gton. 

GLADES HOUSE, S. side of Cohasset, a life-boat, J.A.Litchfield. 

NORTH SCITUATE BEACH, inside of Minot's Ledge and 
Rocks, one boat, in care of H. H. Sylvester. 

SCITUATE HARBOR, near the light, one large metallic life- 
boat, placed under the care of the Society by the Secretary of the 
Treasury, and in keeping of the light-house keeper, Mr. Alonzo Jones. 

BASS COVE, about one mile Easterly from Scituate town, two 
boats in one house, under the general care of A. Jones. 

FOURTH CLIFF, Scituate, a life-boat, formerly at White's 
Ferry, J. Tilden. 

MARSHFIELD BEACH, a hut of refuge, 0. Baker. 

Mx^RSHFIELD, inside of Cut River, one large boat, under the 
care of George Sears. 

DUXBURY BEACH, at Powder Point, near the village, one 
small boat, under the general care of Captain E. Holmes. 

PLYMOUTH HARBOR, Western part, one boat, and about one 
mile and a half to the S. E. of her, on Long Beach, one boat, under 
the care of J. D. Baxter and T. Manter. 

MANOMET POINT, S. of Plymouth Bay, one new boat, C. 
Holmes. 



13 

RACE POINT LIGHT, one boat, under the care of Mr. Crocker, 
keeper of the light. 

8. E. of the last, about one mile and a half, is a boat, also under 
the care of Mr. Crocker. 

S. E. of this, about one mile and a half, is a boat, back of the beach 
under the care of Mr. Atkins. 

PEAKED HILL BAR STATION. — At this point there is a 
mortar-station, life-car, hawser, and other means of communicating 
with a wreck ; also, a house of refuge, with fuel, straw, &c. ; and, 
on each side of the station, on the beach, are posts with hands point- 
ing toward the station. These posts are continued for a considerable 
distance each way, and are for the purpose of guiding the shipwrecked 
seamen to a place of shelter. Watch is kept here during stormy 
weather. Captain Atkins, who occupies the first house in Province- 
town, in the direction of the station, has charge of it. There is also 
a surf-boat, lately put there. 

HIGHLAND LIGHT. — About one mile N. of the light, back 
of the beach, is an old boat, under the care of Mr. Small. Old and 
nearly useless. 

NEWCOMB'S HOLLOW. — About five miles S. of the High- 
land light is a surf-boat and mortar station, under the care of Capt. 
Mulford Rich, who has a good surf-boat of his own, at the same sta- 
tion. All the boats, &c, from this point to Race Point, are under 
the general superintendence of E. S. Smith, Esq., of Provincetown. 

NIGGER HOLLOW, a boat and hut in charge of Henry Baker, 
who has charge, also, of Gaboon's Hollow station. 

CAHOON'S HOLLOW. — About two miles S. of last station, is 
a hut of refuge and a small surf-boat, under the care of Capt. Henry 
Baker, who resides about two miles from the station. 

NAUSETT BEACH. — About one mile S. of the three lights is 
a surf-boat, under the care of Capt. Michael Collins, keeper of the 
lights. 

NAUSETT HARBOR, N. of the entrance, a short distance, is a 
metallic boat, mortar station, life-car, hawser, house of refuge, &c , 
under the superintendence of Captain J. Snow, who lives near by. 




14 

ORLEANS BEACH, S. of the Harbor of Nausett, one new surf- 
boat, under the care of D. G. Linn ell. 

NORTH CHATHAM, in the harbor, near the new opening, one 
boat, under the care of Capt. Brazilli Stetson. 

CHATHAM, a short distance N. of the lights, on the main land, 
is a surf-boat, under the general care of Capt. J. Hardy, Jr. 

CHATHAM BEACH, opposite the town, is a metallic boat, a 
life car and mortar station, hawser, &c., with a hut of refuge, in which 
the apparatus is kept ; and another hut farther S., all under the care 
of Capt. Hardy. This beach is fast wasting away, and the first heavy 
N. E. gale, with high tide, may wash through into the harbor. 

MONOMY POINT, one metallic boat and one surf-boat — the 
latter is near the light, and both are under the care of Asa Nye, the 
keeper of the light. 

NANTUCKET, EAST END, at Kroskaty Farm, one surf-boat, 
in a hut of refuge, and one dory, under the immediate care of Tho- 
mas Dra, who lives at Folger's Farm, near by. 

GREAT POINT, inside, near the light, one surf-boat, in charge 
of the light-house keeper. 

SIA^ SCONCET, one boat, in charge of Mr. Coffin. 

NANTUCKET, WEST END. — At Smith's Point is a hut of 
refuge and a surf-boat, under the care of D. G. Patterson. 

NANTUCKET BAR, a metallic life-boat and house, under the 
care of D. G. Patterson. 

MUSKEGET, boat and house of refuge. 

TUCKANUCK, one boat, under the care of Mr. J. P. Dunham. 

NANTUCKET. — At the town, in charge of a committee, of 
which P. II. Folger, Esq., is chairman, and which has charge of all 
the stations on the island, is a mortar, hawser, and apparatus for com- 
municating with wrecks, which can easily be transported to any neces- 
sary point. There are two life-boats on the S. side of Nantucket, a 
hut of refuge. 

CHAPPEQUIDIC, W. side of Tuckanuck Channel, on Martha's 
Vineyard, is a surf-boat, under care of Thomas Huxford, who lives 
one mile from the boat, inland. 



15 

SOUTH BEACH, three miles from Edgartown, one boat, under 
the immediate care of Mr. Stewart. 

GAY HEAD, on the inside, 'Northerly from the light half a mile, 
one boat, under the care of the keeper of the light. 

CUTTIHUNK, near the light, on the N. side, two boats, in charge 
of J. B. Smith, keeper of the light. 

Near SQUIBNOCKET POND, S. side of the vineyard near the 
W. end, is a mortar station, life-boat, under the care of E. May hew. 

BOSTON LIGHT-HOUSE. — There is, also, a boat at Boston 
light-house, in charge of the keeper, and one on board of the Nauti- 
cal School Ship, in Boston Harbor. 

Besides the huts of refuge attached to and connected with the 
boats, there are other huts^ — one on Tinker's Island, near Marblehead, 
one at Nantasket Beach, two on Scituate Beach,[one at North Chatham 
Beach, mm nt PnTrH^j j and two at South Scituate. Mariners are 
strongly recommended not to attempt landing from a stranded vessel 
until near low water, and generally to wait patiently until succor 
comes from fresh and willing hands on the beach. 

/ /3& zz^ <zl^/ ^T^^^r^ZT - ~U^e*s^ )/be^'--AsCe) 



REMARKS OF COMMITTEE. 



It will be seen from this statement that there are eighty 
Stations belonging to the Society, including Mortar Stations, 
Life Boats and Huts of Refuge, extending from Ipswich to 
Gay Head. There are seven Mortar Stations, namely, at 
Rockport, Cape Ann, Hull Beach, Nausett Harbor, Chatham, 
Nantucket, Marthas Vinyard. 

There are sixty-eight Boats and several Dories. 

The utility of these means for saving life has been frequently 
demonstrated, and many brave seamen and others along our 
exposed coast have perilled their lives to save their fellow-men, 
their greatest reward has been found in the reflection that 
they have done their duty; in acknowledgement of which the 
Trustees have presented many testimonials in the shape of 
Medals, also Certificates commemorating the act, and sometimes 
money is given to those who, from necessity, rather than from 
choice, prefer a pecuniary acknowledgement. 

The Society is indebted to several disinterested individuals, 
who, for a long time have gratuitously rendered important 
services in the supervision and care of the Stations, among 
whom it may not be out of place to mention Captain Ezekiel 
Jones, of Scituate, Mr, E. S. Smith, of Provincetown, Josiah 
Hardy, of Chatham, the efficient Committee at Nantucket, and 
the Superintendents of the Public Institutions at Deer Island. 

The Medals now given by the Society are faithfully repre- 
sented in the appendix, as also a copy of the Certificate. In 
closing this sketch, the Standing Committee would add that 
the income of the Society arises from investment of property, 
the principal of which amounts to $4^000. 



18 

Besides these means, in times past aid has been liberally 
granted from the State and from the General Government, the 
amount for the last twenty years being $7,500 from the State, 
and $20,000 from the General Government, which has enabled 
the Society during that time to increase its apparatus from 
eighteen Boats and Stations and a few Huts to the present 
number of eighty. While it would be out of place to compare 
our humble means with the extensive and costly apparatus of 
the Royal National Life Boat Institution, established on the 
coast of Great Britain, it will be seen, on examining the extent 
of that region and our coast of Massachusetts, that we have 
one boat for every four and a half miles, while they have one 
only for every sixteen miles, but the English Society's Boats 
.and Mortar Stations are very closely located at the most 
.exposed points, and the large means at the command of the 
managers are concentrated so as to have the greatest effect, by 
w^hich, in the year 1862, no less than 858 lives were saved, 
and gratuities granted to the amount of about £1000 sterling; 
in contrast with which, the immunity from shipwreck and the 
loss of life, on our immediate coast, has been for several seasons 
quite remarkable. 

Finally, the undersigned, while they can plead no immediate 
want of money, having a small balance of the Government fund 
on hand, and an income from the invested property, cannot 
close without reminding those whose benevolent aspirations 
lead them to look for a place to leave a token of their liberality, 
that the utility of the Society may be much increased by 
locating new Stations, and by putting the present property in 
better condition for service. 

R. B. FORBES, 

Chairman Standing Committee. 




FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROMOTING THE CAUSE OF HUMANITY, THE 
PRESERVATION OF HUMAN LIFE, AND THE ALLEVIATION OF ITS MISERIES; 
AND OF GRANTING HONORARY TESTIMONIALS AND REWARDS FOR MERIT,. 
COURAGE, AND PERSEVERANCE WHEREVER SHOWN, AND HOWEVER 
EXERCISED. 



02/^/a (j&7T$ee&M0 ttyrffee (^ftiuadea/ &$/ne 



Ilttmatu $u\ti% 



7 ieitz &7^ t/ie atzzi &> 



@X J / v^a-? tw&t/; 



/-<£. 



?nte'Ze<7 anc) tecotdetf 172/ 



vnatatu tecotdd afwie/ 
&r / octet'u J Ja^tvto faua 



§xtMmt 
§mx&xn$$t$ 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

illlllillllllll. 

027 293 330 3 



